From stretching the boundaries of ice cream, to starting boy bands, to spying on aliens, Puerto Rico is amazing at a lot of things outsiders don’t know a whole lot about. Well, outsiders, read this rundown, and consider yourself educated.

Putting the party in Pentacostal

San Sebastián isn’t the only huge bash in Puerto Rico with ties to the Church. Noche de San Juan, held every June 24th, is the world’s biggest (and sexiest) midnight swimming soiree with millions rushing into the sea and dunking their heads underwater seven times in honor of St. John the Baptist.

Innovating on ice cream

Crazy ice cream options are just now catching on elsewhere, but at heladerías across Puerto Rico people have been enjoying such uncommon flavors as rice and beans, plantain, and codfish for years. That’s right, codfish.

Making a LOT of rum

How much rum? How about 200 million+ bottles every single year -- and that’s just Bacardi’s share. A good 40 additional brands are produced all over the island. And don’t even get us started about our Cañita moonshine…

Saving things for a rainy day

The legendary Freedom Barrel, a stash of rum commissioned in 1942 by the Fernández family of Ron del Barrelito fame, will only be opened if and when Puerto Rico achieves independence, at which point all those present will be given a taste.

Boy bands

Singing people to sleep

“Coquí… coquí…” The males among the tiny native frogs of the same name sing out all night all over Puerto Rico. Like most guys, all the noise is about lovemaking -- the “co” is a warning to other male frogs to stay away, while the “qui” is meant to attract females.

Close Encountering

If any real extraterrestrials get stranded on earth, the Arecibo Observatory is where they’ll phone home. At 1,000ft in diameter, it’s the world’s largest radio telescope, capable of sending messages tens of thousands of miles into space, or a few hundred miles to your mom if you’ve lost your traveler's checks. Haha, traveler's checks…

Raising beauty queens

Adventuring underground

The third largest underground river in the world has carved out more than 10mi of caverns and 220 caves in Puerto Rico’s Rio Camuy Cave Park. Some experts believe there are a good 800 more caves waiting to be discovered by an ace spelunker such as yourself.